Logistics Matters with DC VELOCITY

In this episode, guest Dan Gilmore, chief marketing officer at warehouse software company Softeon, discusses how today's warehouse management software systems are being developed to handle the huge surge in robotics and other warehouse automation systems. Today's WMS and WES systems must monitor and direct many warehouse functions in real time to keep products flowing. They also must be easy to integrate with all of the technology placed into DCs today. Are these software systems up to the challenge? This week the White House released its anticipated report on our nation's supply chains, focusing on the four key areas of semiconductors, large-capacity batteries, critical materials and minerals, and pharmaceuticals and active ingredients. Will the suggestions in the report help to alleviate the bottlenecks in these critical supply chains, and will these actions affect the supply chains of other products?This past Tuesday, the industry celebrated National Forklift Safety Day. Presented by the Industrial Truck Association, this annual day to recognize the importance of forklift safety was held virtually again this year due to the pandemic. Hear our report on the highlights and trends discussed.There is new funding for what's being called a SmartPort and Resilience Center for managing transportation and port operations on the lower Mississippi River. The grant from the U.S. Commerce Department combines with funds from the state of Louisiana and other partners to create infrastructure and monitoring capabilities to improve traffic flow and forecasting on this important waterway.Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:SofteonNational Forklift Safety Day information on DCVelocity.comRegister to watch NFSD 2021 on demandIndustrial Truck AssociationWhite House report lists steps to strengthen critical supply chainsCommerce Department awards $16 million grant for Louisiana SmartPort projectVisit DCVelocity.com for the latest news. Send feedback about this podcast to podcast@dcvelocity.com.Podcast sponsored by Honeywell IntelligratedOther linksAbout DC VELOCITYSubscribe to DC VELOCITYSign up for our FREE newslettersAdvertise with DC VELOCITYTop 10 Supply Chain Management Podcasts

In this episode, guest Mark Stanton, general manager for PowerFleet for Supply Chain,  discusses the upcoming hurricane season and how we can prepare our supply chains to better handle disruptions. We all know that hurricanes are likely to happen; we just don't know where or when they will occur. But, companies can prepare their supply chains now using technology tools and collaboration to monitor their assets and direct products and people away from areas of disruption.Amazon is changing its hiring practices and some of its work rules to find more workers in a very tight labor market. You may be surprised to hear what the company has chosen to eliminate as part of potential new employee screening.As the economy emerges from the pandemic, logistics continues to be one of the most important contributors to getting our lives back to normal. This month's Logistics Managers' Index reflects growth that continues to move along like a freight train. But with that surging growth come high costs and tight capacity.Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:PowerFleetAmazon ends marijuana testing for new hires in effort to keep DC jobs filledLMI shows strong growth persists across logistics marketsVisit DCVelocity.com for the latest news. Send feedback about this podcast to podcast@dcvelocity.com.Podcast sponsored by Honeywell IntelligratedOther linksAbout DC VELOCITYSubscribe to DC VELOCITYSign up for our FREE newslettersAdvertise with DC VELOCITYTop 10 Supply Chain Management Podcasts

In this episode, guest Alex Wakefield, CEO of supply chain technology firm Longbow Advantage, discusses the need for better supply chain visibility. He suggests that improvements in visibility for warehouse operations can actually provide better insights into bottlenecks and challenges in the transportation of goods to and from facilities.The American Transportation Research Institute, better known as ATRI, has released a report on the most important issues facing the trucking sector. Labor, of course, is a top concern. The report details some of the research that will be conducted to help trucking firms deal with driver shortages as well as the impact of electric trucks coming to the market.New technologies continue to impact the supply chain industry daily. But what are the top priorities for logistics executives in wading through all of the offerings that suppliers provide? A new report lists the key technology trends that executives plan to address this year.Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:Longbow AdvantageTrucking group to research labor issues like younger drivers, legalized marijuana, and in cab camerasReport: AI, machine learning are top priorities for logisticsDC VELOCITY's Covid-19 coverageVisit DCVelocity.com for the latest news. Send feedback about this podcast to podcast@dcvelocity.com.Podcast sponsored by SofteonOther linksAbout DC VELOCITYSubscribe to DC VELOCITYSign up for our FREE newslettersAdvertise with DC VELOCITYTop 10 Supply Chain Management Podcasts

In this episode, guest Mike Klage, solutions director at TOC Logistics International, shares what's happening out on the water. Ports continue to be overwhelmed with cargo and backlogs are becoming the new normal for ocean shipping. Some shippers are looking at alternative ports, such as those on the East Coast and and in the Gulf region, but will that solve their problems if capacity is scarce everywhere? We discuss the current state of ocean shipping and whether things might get back to pre-pandemic normal any time soon.In order to satisfy customer demand, retailers search for new carriers to assure their shipments arrive on time. This includes last-mile investments and expanded networks. Will this search for capacity and performance continue as we head toward the back-to-school and holiday seasons?Private equity investment firms continue to view supply chain as a good risk. A number of companies in our space have been snatched up recently by investors, and there is a growing trend to combine smaller firms together to create a one-stop shop for supply chain services. How will this trend play out in the market?Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:TOC Logistics InternationalRetailers ramp up last mile investments, expand carrier networksPeak-Ryzex buys fellow data collection provider Bar Code DirectPrivate equity firm buys GPS Insight to build fleet management software shopDC VELOCITY's Covid-19 coverageVisit DCVelocity.com for the latest news. Send feedback about this podcast to podcast@dcvelocity.com.Podcast sponsored by SofteonOther linksAbout DC VELOCITYSubscribe to DC VELOCITYSign up for our FREE newslettersAdvertise with DC VELOCITYTop 10 Supply Chain Management Podcasts

In this episode, guest Jim Yarbrough, global intelligence program manager at BSI, shares the major supply chain risks from around the world. BSI recently released its Supply Chain Risks Insights 2021 report. It analyzes and assesses risks to countries and businesses globally. These include product theft, fraud, labor exploitation, and political and regulatory changes. He also shares how to make supply chains more resilient in light of these threats. As the world emerges from the Covid-19 pandemic, economic growth brings more demand for goods and services. This means more labor is needed at a time when labor is in short supply. Supply chains have been particularly hard hit in finding workers to drive trucks and work in warehouses.There continues to be further consolidation in the rail sector. While two large Canadian competitors fight over who gets to buy Kansas City Southern Railway, other rail mergers and acquisitions continue to change the landscape of rail in North America.Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:BSIBSI's Supply Chain Risk Insights 2021 reportLabor shortage hits supply chain hardCSX buys bulk tank trucking fleet to build intermodal muscleCN offers $337 billion to one-up rival's bid for Kansas City Southern RailwayDC VELOCITY's Covid-19 coverageVisit DCVelocity.com for the latest news. Send feedback about this podcast to podcast@dcvelocity.com.Podcast sponsored by SofteonOther linksAbout DC VELOCITYSubscribe to DC VELOCITYSign up for our FREE newslettersAdvertise with DC VELOCITYTop 10 Supply Chain Management Podcasts

In this episode, guest Paul Beavers, the chief technology officer at PCS Software, discusses why he thinks touchless transactions are here to stay. During the past year, as the Covid-19 pandemic raged, many companies turned to contactless electronic transactions as a way of promoting social distancing and reducing risks to drivers. It is just another adoption trend that the pandemic accelerated, and as with many of the changes we have undergone during the year, companies are seeing the advantages of touchless handoffs. There is good reason to think that most users who adopted these technologies will not revert back to paper-based processing.The surge in economic growth and consumer demand has caused shortages in many commodities, including one that is essential in moving our goods within supply chains. That commodity is the basic pallet. Lumber prices and high demand are making for a shortage of new pallets within the market.The latest LMI figures are in, and they show that tight capacity in supply chains will be with us for some time to come. What is driving these trends, and is there any hope that we will see better capacity as we move into the summer months?Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:PCS SoftwareThe pallet shortage and 48forty Solutions acquires fellow provider, Relogistics ServicesLMI: tight market conditions persist with no end in sightDC VELOCITY's Covid-19 coverageVisit DCVelocity.com for the latest news. Send feedback about this podcast to podcast@dcvelocity.com.Podcast sponsored by SofteonOther linksAbout DC VELOCITYSubscribe to DC VELOCITYSign up for our FREE newslettersAdvertise with DC VELOCITYTop 10 Supply Chain Management Podcasts

In this episode, guest Matt Castle, vice president of air services at C.H. Robinson, discusses the tight air freight market. While passengers are starting to fly again  on commercial planes, that extra belly space for cargo has not really alleviated the capacity constraints on the air freight market. Is there any improvement in sight, or is this what to expect for the rest of the year? Are there good alternatives to routing freight by air?Once again, our nation's infrastructure is being debated in Washington. However, this time there seems to be the political will to get something done where efforts have failed in the past. The two parties are highlighting different priorities in their proposals, but what do supply chain managers see as critical pieces that they wish to see in infrastructure improvements?On Wednesday, an appeals court in California upheld Assembly Bill Five, better known as AB-5, which redefines how gig and independent contract workers are classified within the workforce. Its provisions have serious implications for truck drivers and the trucking industry, including that many contract drivers will now be required to receive full employment benefits.  It's a measure that could be adapted for legislation in other states. Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:C.H.RobinsonIndustry weighs in on infrastructure spendingCalifornia court says trucking fleets must provide drivers with full employment benefitsDC VELOCITY's Covid-19 coverageVisit DCVelocity.com for the latest news. Send feedback about this podcast to podcast@dcvelocity.com.Podcast sponsored by Honeywell IntelligratedOther linksAbout DC VELOCITYSubscribe to DC VELOCITYSign up for our FREE newslettersAdvertise with DC VELOCITYTop 10 Supply Chain Management Podcasts

In this episode, guest Aaron Hageman, CEO of Delivery Drivers Inc. (DDI), discusses trends in last-mile logistics. The supply chain industry calls that final delivery to a person's home or business "the last mile" of the shipment chain. It is usually the most expensive part of logistics, as each package must be handled separately, in contrast to the aggregate handling of previous steps. Hageman discusses how drivers are found to make such deliveries and what is being done by shippers to assure timely delivery of our orders.The Covid-19 pandemic is driving a huge surge in imported products, and that is affecting the real estate markets for warehouses in seaport areas. It is also creating huge demand for certain imported products.This past Thursday was Earth Day, a day the world reflects on our environment and what we can do to be more friendly to the planet we all live on. Many logistics and supply chain companies took time this week to celebrate their own green initiatives and to commit to new sustainable practices.Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:Delivery Drivers Inc. (DDI)Soaring import volumes squeeze warehouse markets near seaportsIndustrial businesses gearing up for post-pandemic rebound, sourcing stats showCrown Battery enhances green energy initiatives9th Annual State of Retail Supply Chain ReportDC VELOCITY's Covid-19 coverageVisit DCVelocity.com for the latest news. Send feedback about this podcast to podcast@dcvelocity.com.Podcast sponsored by Honeywell IntelligratedOther linksAbout DC VELOCITYSubscribe to DC VELOCITYSign up for our FREE newslettersAdvertise with DC VELOCITYTop 10 Supply Chain Management Podcasts

In this episode, guest Brandon Coats, global product manager for robotics and vision at Material Handling Systems (MHS), discusses artificial intelligence. We have all heard of AI and its potential for improving our lives. Coats talks about some of the misconceptions about artificial intelligence and offers some practical applications where AI can improve distribution operations.We also look at this week's ProMatDX 2021. This virtual experience of North America's largest material handling show did not disappoint. We discuss the 8th Annual Industry Report and what it says about the health of the industry and how supply chain leaders are boosting their technology spending to build resilience in their operations. We look at the products awarded as most innovative at the show. We discuss how automation may or may not be the right fit, depending on your products, market, and a number of other factors. And we examine how one company scaled automation within their distribution facility in less than 90 days.Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:Material Handling Systems (MHS)Supply chain leaders boost tech spending to build resilienceMHI honors innovation award winnersBusinesses need to right-size the automation level for their operationCrocs takes the fast track to automated picking9th Annual State of Retail Supply Chain ReportDC VELOCITY's Covid-19 coverageVisit DCVelocity.com for the latest news. Send feedback about this podcast to podcast@dcvelocity.com.Podcast sponsored by Honeywell IntelligratedOther linksAbout DC VELOCITYSubscribe to DC VELOCITYSign up for our FREE newslettersAdvertise with DC VELOCITYTop 10 Supply Chain Management Podcasts

In this episode, guest Chris Jones, executive vice president at Decartes, discusses supply chain vulnerabilities. The Covid-19 pandemic changed everything in our lives, including the way goods are delivered to us. But the pandemic also exposed weak areas of our supply chains and revealed vulnerabilities for sourcing many critical goods, such as PPE, pharmaceuticals, batteries, and electronic components. How can we assure that suppliers address these vulnerabilities as we begin to recover?As businesses begin the process of restoring their operations to pre-pandemic levels, they need to be aware of the many threats that still loom. A recent report highlights five risks for businesses to track as they recover their operations in 2021 and beyond.Before the onslaught of Covid-19, most consumers did not have a clue as to what was meant by "the supply chain" and how supply chains actually operated. Now, they have a greater awareness of them, mostly due to shortages they have experienced during the past year. How should manufacturers, retailers, and e-commerce providers react to both the real and perceived conceptions that consumers have about the supply chains upon which they depend?Articles and resources mentioned in this episode:DescartesRisk report lists five trends rocking pandemic recoveryConsumers identify supply chain pain points9th Annual State of Retail Supply Chain ReportDC VELOCITY's Covid-19 coverageVisit DCVelocity.com for the latest news. Send feedback about this podcast to podcast@dcvelocity.com.Podcast sponsored by Honeywell IntelligratedOther linksAbout DC VELOCITYSubscribe to DC VELOCITYSign up for our FREE newslettersAdvertise with DC VELOCITYTop 10 Supply Chain Management Podcasts